Feed-water system in steamships



Nov. 11924.

c. R. LANG FEED WATER SYSTEM IN STEAMSHIPS 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

v C. R. LANG FEED WATER SYSTEM IN'STEAMSHIPS Filed Dec. 8, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 STE/7M Tun-Ems A9 STE/7M [mi/1v:

B011. 0? #2117 Pam? I5 .i /6 l7 Patents Nov. 225, i224 CHARLES RUSSELL LANG, O1? GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNOR TO G. & 3'. WEIR, LIMITED, OF etaseow, SCOTLAND.

FEED-WATER SYSTEM IN STEAMSHIPS.

Application filed December 8, 1919. Serial No. 343,383.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES RUSSELL LANG, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Cathcart, Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connection with Feed-Water Systems in Steamships; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to steamship feed water systems such as are described in the specification of Patent No. 1,302,256.

When, in ships fitted with such a feed system, boilers are employed which have large water capacity-e. g. Scotch boilersthere is danger of the feed tank being completely emptied in a few minutes, with the consequence that air will'gain access to the feed systeman event which it is a primary object of such systems to avoid.

If, on the other hand, the feed supply to the boilers is controlled by hand, there is the objection of constant attention being necessary.

The object of the present invention is to avoid the risk or objection above mentioned.

The present invention consists in the combination with a steamship feed system, as described in the before-mentioned specification, of a control device whereby the rate of discharge of feed water by the boiler feed pump or pumps is controlled in accordancewiththe water level in the feed tank. The invention will be described in the following specification and more particularly defined in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying diagrammatic draw- 1ngs:-

Fig. 1 illustrates one apparatus for carrying the present invention into effect. I

Fig. 2shows a modification.

Fig. 3 shows another modification.

Referring in the first place to Fig. 1, the following parts are the same as in ldig. 1 of the specification of Patent No. 1,302,256: the condenser a, the water discharge pipe b, the water-extraction pump 0, the non-return valve d, the main feed pipe f, the air-discharge pipe 6, the air ejector g, the branch pipe 3', the spring-loaded valve .9, the feed tank 2?, the return pipe 10, the automatic valve w, the pressure-communicating pipe 3, the return pipe 8, the hand-controlled valve 9, the secondary surface feed heater The following parts are the same as in Fig. a of the same specification :the combination surface heater and condenser m, n, the drain pipe 20, the gravitation filter 5, the filter-discharge pipe 6, the stop valve 27. r is the boiler feed pump which is of the rotary (e. g. centrifugal) type and is driven by the steam turbine 19. 11 is a float in the feed tank which is connected by mechanism 12, 13, 14: to a valve 15 on the pipe 16 which conveys fluid for actuating a valve or throttling device 17 on the discharge 18 of the boiler feed pump 1". The float device and throttling device are so arranged. that a fall in the water level in the feed tank acts to throttle or reduce or stop the discharge from the pump, and a rise in the water level in the feed tank acts to open or reduce the valve or throttling means so as to increase the delivery of the pump. The arrangement is such, moreover, that the feed tank can never be completely emptied of water and never be so far emptied as to allow of the free suction of air into the feed system by way of the pipe u.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a feed system is here shown which is provided with a steam-driven direct-acting (reciprocating) boiler feed pump 4. The discharge from this pump to the boiler is controlled, not by directly controlling the water delivery, but by controlling the supply of steam to the engine which drives the pump. For this purpose the float mechanism 12, 23, 24 is arranged to act on the valve 21 situated on the steam pipe 22 which conveys steam to the steam engine which drives the pump 7 The mechanism is so arranged that rise in the water level in the feed tank acts to open the steam valve, and fall in the water level acts to close the steam valve, and the same provision is made against free suction of air into the feed system.

In Fig. 2 it will be seen that the return pipe 8 is led from the main feed pipe on the discharge side of the secondary surface feed heater 9 instead of from the feed tank. The return pipe could, however, if desired, be taken from the feed tank as in Fig. 1; and, moreover, in the pump-control arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 the return pipe could be takent'rom the discharge from the secondary heater instead of from the feed tank in the! same manner as illustrated in Figure 2. Moreover, if a single feed water heater is employed (as in the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 of Patent No. 1,302,256) the return pipe could be taken from the discharge from this heater at a pointcorresponding tothut shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3.

Referring now. toFig. 3, the feed system here shown. is provided with aturbine driven rotary boiler feed pump r and a iii directedr-iven. reciprocating boiler feed pump. r. In thisxcase the feed tank float control mechanism 12, '13, 14, 23, 24 is ar ranged to act. onthe. valve l5which fulfils the same tunction as inrig. l as regards the rotary boiler. feedipump, and also on the valve 21 which fulfils the same function as inFig. 2 as regards the reciprocating boiler teedpump 1". The return pipe. 8.is shown in Fig. 3 arrangedas in Fig, 2; but it could, itdesired, be: otherwise arranged as shown in Figure 1.

\ Having thus. described: my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent is i 1. Ina steamship, in combination, a. boiler, a feed pump for supplying said boiler with feed water, a main condenser, a main teed pipe, ext-en ring; f om said condenser to said teed pump, a water-extraction pump for; the withdrawal of thewater .oicondensation, i. e., the teed water, from thesaid condenser, and the delivery otthe same under pressurcinto the said teed pipe, at surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe asteam-jet air ejector lor the extraction of the air, with vapour, from the said condenserand thedelivery of the same into the said surface heater, the said heater being arranged for the heating". of the feed water by thecondensation of the steam from the e'ector a feed tank an admission )i e con- 3 7 nection between the said main feed pipe and sa d a feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a discharge pipe'connection from said teed; tank to saidcondenser, an automatic non-return valve on said last mentioned pipe connec tion, a float control device in said feedtank,

' a valve onthe discharge of said teed pump,

and means whereby said devicecontrols sai d last mentioned valve.

2.111 a steamship, in combination, a boiler, a. feed pump for supplying said boiler- With feed water, a main condenser, a main teed'pipe extending from said condenser to said reed pump, a v. 'ater-extraction pump forthewithdrawal of the water ot a surtaceteed heater on the said condensation, i. e., the feed water, from the said condenser, and the delivery of the said under pressure into the said feed pipe, main feed pipe, at steam-jet air ejector for the extractionof the air, with vapour, from the said condenser and the delivery of the same into the said surface heater, the said heater being arranged for the heating of the feed water by the condensation oi the steam from the e1ector, a leeditank, an admission pipe connection between the said main teed pipe and said feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a discharge pipe connection from said .fecd tank to said condenser, an automatic non-return valve onsaid last mentioned pipe connection, a float. control device in said feed tank, a valve on the discharge of saidieed pump, a fluid, control device for this valve, and means whereby said float control device con trols said fluid control device.

3. In. a steamship, in combination, a boiler, a rotary feed pump tor supplying said boiler with teed water, a reciprocating feed pump for supplying said boiler with feed water, a main condenser, a main food pipe extending from said condenser to said feed pumps, a water-extraction pump {or thewithdrawal of the water of condensation, i. e., the, feed water, from the said condenser, and the delivery of the same under pressure into the said feed pipe, a surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe, at steam-jet air ejector tor the extraction of thecair, with vapour, from the said condenser and the delivery of the same into the said surface heater, the said heater being arranged for the heating oi the feed ater by the coudensation of the steam :trom the ejector, ai ecd tank, an admission pipe connec tion, between the saidmain ieed pip and said feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a discharge, pipe connect-ion from said feed tank to, said condenser, an automatic non-return valve on said, last mentioned pipe connection, a valve on the discharge of said rotary feed, pump, a motor which drives said reciprocating feed pump, a pipe for supplying actuating fluid to this motor, a valve on this pipe, afloat control device in said teed tank, and means whereby this device controls the two last mentioned valves,

4:. In, a steamship, in combination, a boiler, a rotary feed pump for supplying said boiler with teed water, a reciprocating' teed pump for supplying said boiler with feed water, a main condenser, a main teed pipe extending from said condenser to said -teed pumps, a water-extraction pump for the withdrawal of the water of condensation, i. e., the teed water, from the said condenser, and the delivery oi the same under pressure into the said feed pipe. a surface feed heater on the said main 'leed pipe, :1 steamjet air ejector for the extraction of" the. air, with vapour, from the said condenser and the delivery of the same into the said surface heater, the said heater being arranged for the heating of the feed Water by the condensation oi the steam from the ejector, a feed tank, an admission pipe connection between the said main feed pipe and said feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a discharge pipe connection from said feed tank to said condenser, an automatic non-return valve on said last mentioned pipe connection, a valve on the discharge of said rotary feed pump, a fluid control device for this valve, a motor which drives said reciprocating feed pump, a pipe for supplying actuating fluid to this motor, a valve on this pipe, a float control device in said feed tank, and means whereby said float control device controls said fluid control device and also controls said last mentioned valve.

5. In a feed water system having a Water circuit including a condenser, a Water extraction pump and a boiler feed pump, a feed Water tank, and means associated With the tank and Water circuit whereby upon a .fall of the Water level in the tank the feed pump Will deliver a reduced quantity of Water to the boiler and cause the Water level of the feed tank to rise, substantially as set forth.

6. In a feed Water system having a Water circuit including a condenser, Water extraction pump and boiler feed pump, a feed Water tank, means for delivering Water from the tank to the condenser upon a deficiency of Water in the Water circuit, a connection between. said Water circuit and said tank, means in the connection permitting the flow of Water from the water circuit into said tank only when the pressure in the Water circuit reaches a predetermined amount, and other means associated with the tank and Water circuit whereby upon a fall of the water level in the tank the delivery of the feed pump to the boiler will be throttled so as to increase the pressure in the Water circuit and cause Water from the circuit to flow through said connection and into the tank to raise the Water level, substantially as set forth.

I hereby sign my name to this specification.

CHARLES RUSSELL LANG. 

